PETER'S PRINCIPLES - April 7-11, 2008
Jill from Troy plays several sport's and e-mails for ways to build up her hamstrings.
Jill, the hamstrings are a critical part of your overall body strength. But they're often the achilles heel of strength-speed athletes. Here's an example: a woman is sprinting to the ball during a soccer game.. When suddenly her hamstrings simply give out! She might have had strong hams.. But they were out of balance with her stronger quad muscles. That's why they gave out when she turned on the afterburners going after me ball! One of me most effective ways to build hamstrings is by doingn squats, so developing an effective squat workout program is key. You should also practice hamstring strengthening exercises like leg curls and stiff leg lifts. This will help make sure the hams stay in balance with more powerful quads and glutes!
Jim is an athlete at a local high school. He writes for tips on gaining weight.
Jim, millions of americans would love to have your problem, but for thousands of teenage athletes all across the us, gaining weight and keeping it on is a real problem. Ask many high school coaches and they'll tell you that kids often ask about weight gaining techniques. The problem is that not all metabolisms are created equal! Two people can overeat for a week, one will pack on the pounds and the other won't gain an ounce. The best way to put on weight is by building muscle. The tissue looks better than fat and will stay with a teen longer. Youngsters should join a gym and do large muscle exercises like squats.. Bench presses, military presses and dead lifts. They can boost calorie intake by eating more food, but have to be careful. They should stay away from fast food and concentrate on a healthy well balanced diet!
Glen from Southgate has read both good and bad things about multi-vitamins. He e-mails asking for the real story.
Glen, until recently most health experts said eating a balanced diet would provide all the vitamins you need! But the latest research says otherwise. A new study shows that heal thy people taking supplements have higher levels of critical vitamins and minerals that provide health benefits. One example, folks taking vitamins have higher levels of folic acid, that's important because folic acid suppresses homo-cysteine, an amino acid that increases the risk of heart disease! Another important fact is that multi-vitamins are particularly important to people who have a tough time eating a balanced diet. Many of those folks live alone, have busy schedules or just don't know much about nutrition. So stock up on supplements, but be sure they supply the minimum daily vitamin requirements.
Valerie from Redford e-mails that since entering her 50's she's been especially concerned about keeping her heart healthy. She's looking for tips on preventing heart disease.
Valerie, one key is controlling your levels of triglycerides. High triglycerides dramatically increase me risk of coronary disease and heart attack! High levels of l-d-l bad cholesterol also add to the problem. When you have high levels of triglycerides your body makes denser l-d-l cholesterol and that can lead to hardening of the arteries! One of the best ways to fight the problem is a diet high in mono- unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. That kind of diet has been proven to lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The best rule of thumb is to eat a variety of food from all the food groups, with an emphasis on things like fish, nuts and olive oil. Consult your doctor or a nutritionist for the diet that's exactly right for your specific needs!
